Starting a schedule...4months (2m1w adjusted)

adacopeach

We had our 4 month appointment today, which I think went well.  My boys are now 11 lbs 4 oz and 8lbs 5oz!!!  A far cry from 3.2 and 2lbs.......  Anyways, my pedi said that I should start getting them on a nap schedule during the day, recommending 2 wake periods a day.  We have been doing the every 3 hours: eat, play, sleep.  Each baby will usually sleep for 45 mins min after each feeding.  My question is how and when did you begin to create a nap schedule for your LO??  My little guys are SO cranky, as it is, if they don't get their sleep.  It frightens me to think about trying to keep them awake, when they would normally be sleeping.

urbanflowerpot

I might be turning into too much of a toddler mom (when did that happen??!) but why on earth would the pedi suggest a nap schedule at 2 mo adj? Am I crazy to remember that being far, far too early? I might be...if so ignore, but that's still the time when LO slept whenever...but he knew night from day. That's it, though.

ijustcantthinkrightnow

urbanflowerpot:

I might be turning into too much of a toddler mom (when did that happen??!) but why on earth would the pedi suggest a nap schedule at 2 mo adj? Am I crazy to remember that being far, far too early? I might be...if so ignore, but that's still the time when LO slept whenever...but he knew night from day. That's it, though.

I have to agree. I know it was closer to 6mth adjusted before they had a nap schedule. It was after the 4 month wakeful for sure! Until then we did exactly what you are doing. Their wake times just progressively lengthened.  

adacopeach

Okay, well I feel better then and I'm not going to push the issue.  They both can be SO cranky when they don't sleep and it throws off everything, especially their eating, which we don't want to mess with.  Thanks, for commenting because I had pretty much decided that I was going to go by their cues, unless some of you other moms had different experiences.

ashk7

My dd is on a schedule with naps and bedtimes, but that's only because she made it up herself! One day I noticed that she was napping around the same times, she also eats every 34 hours, I think she just went off that. Her naps just fell into place with when she eats daily. With that being said I am not very strict with it, she is only 3.5 months adjusted so I go by her cues, she must be like her mommy though and likes schedules : I would do exactally what you are doing, a mama knows best :

adrielegorburu

I never scheduled DD for naps or feedings from pretty much about a week after we got home (I followed her NICU schedule the first week) - after that she set her own schedule - and once I learned her cues she was way more "strict" about her own schedule then I was. She still gets hungry at the same time every day and naps at the same time everyday - she even poops at the same time every day - shes a clock - but her own clock and I have found that it works great for us.

Missa_g

Waaaaaaay too soon to set a nap schedule, IMO. My boys are about the same age and we just let them sleep when they want during the day. We watch for sleepy cues but other than that they still totally dictate the schedule. I'm expecting somewhere between 46m adjusted we'll get a nap schedule of some kind going.

nicole0066

Yep, way too early for that.  My LO is almost 4m actual, almost 3m adjusted and her awake time is only 60-90 minutes.  She also gets very cranky when tired so there is no way I would want to push it while tired.  The only set routine we have is bedtime, but that is because she set the time herself.  

She only takes 30-40 min naps (when not in swing/held) and I don't think it is until 6 months (for full term babies) that naps become more consolidated and on more of a schedule.